Welcome to Table Talk, The Daily Memphian’s weekly food and dining newsletter for subscribers only.

This week, The Daily Memphian published two food-related National Guard stories. The first was about how the National Guard’s deployment to Memphis is — or isn’t — affecting local restaurants. There was no way to know without actually contacting folks and asking how they are doing.

One of the most humbling, and exciting, things about being a journalist is being wrong. The discovery that comes through investigation and reporting can be exhilarating, even amid tension and uncertainty throughout the city.

When I first started asking around, I had yet to see anyone from the National Guard for myself unless I was watching the local news or reading up on dailymemphian.com. My neighborhood seemed to be untouched, so I figured restaurants weren’t being affected. After all, I wasn’t. But I was wrong.

This week, The Daily Memphian published two food-related National Guard stories. (George Walker IV/AP)

Alejandro Romero, general manager of Sabor Caribe in The Edge District, told me that restaurant had been “deeply affected” by the Memphis Safe Task Force surge but he was confused as to why his business was suffering. Romero said about 80% of Sabor Caribe’s customers are American and, theoretically, shouldn’t have any fear of law enforcement.

But then there was The Four Way Restaurant in South Memphis. When I visited them, there was an active Task Force checkpoint less than a mile away that wasn’t stopping people from flowing in and out of the building for soul food.

The Four Way was one of those restaurants that hadn’t seen a significant change to sales. But Downtown at The Genre, business was down, chef/owner Lernard Chambers said.

Soon after those conversations, the National Guard made its way Downtown, and I began to experience what other Memphians already had, seeing Guardsmen out on the streets.

The National Guard has been patroling Downtown. (George Walker IV/AP)

The next story I wrote looked at both the boycott of several restaurants that offered discounts or marketed to National Guardsmen and the counter-boycott led by conservative talk show host Todd Starnes.

Remember when I said being wrong is exhilarating? This was one of those exhilarating moments.

I assumed the boycott, organized by the Free the 901 community group, was an attempt to punish restaurants that appeared to be welcoming the National Guard. But Free the 901 social media manager Amber Sherman said the campaign is an attempt to keep Memphians safe.

“It’s important to us to focus on harm reduction,” Sherman said at the time of our initial interview. “These places (on the list) may be more likely to have a lot of agents or National Guard, and people really want to know where to avoid as they’re making plans to go out.”

I hadn’t even considered that.

Protests and counterprotests have popped up about restaurants in Memphis offering special to National Guardsmen. (George Walker IV/AP)

So it seems we have two groups: one that fears the presence of law enforcement and another that fears harm to local restaurants.

I wonder what could happen if they all sat down and had a conversation. It turns out the best way to know what’s really going on is to start a conversation. Perhaps the answers we’re looking for aren’t in statements or statistics but in what we’re still willing to say — and hear — at the table.

This week on the Memphis food scene

On “Sound Bites,” Holly Whitfield lets us know how a beloved Memphis coffee brand is coming back with buzzy coffee sodas.

Johnnie Mae’s Soul Food Café has been all the rage as Memphis’ newest “soul food joint,” but I’ve got the inside scoop on what to order when you’re there.

Honey gold wings at Johnnie Mae's Soul Cafe in South Memphis have a crisp exterior, juicy flesh, savory seasonings and sweet sauce. They’re pictured here with Johnnie Mae's seasoned fries. (Ellen Chamberlain/The Daily Memphian)

Crosstown Concourse’s Bao Toan has a reputation for being fancy, but the Vietnamese restaurant is now offering lunch specials. Erica Horton has the info and a recommendation for us in her latest $15 deal. 

For all the controversy about restaurant closings, Sophia Surrett is spreading the good food news about the restaurants that will be opening soon in this week’s edition of Food Files.

And speaking of restaurant openings, the former home to Tamp & Tap will soon be home to a new Downtown eatery.

And speaking of Downtown, a local restaurant just shut its doors permanently after almost 20 years in business. 

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